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I am a recent graduate from the University of Michigan, class of 2011. I am an associate at a Global Investment Bank (was promoted after an internship the summer prior from the analyst position) and I am looking at law schools. I have a 3.45-3.55 gpa - (International politics and economics) with a 163 LSAT (i'm considering retaking and am very confident i can up the score by 3-4 pts. I was a varsity athlete at Michigan, on the exec board for my fraternity, and started a 3 different successful businesses while a student, which i then sold to other students. What are my chances for T15? My goal is Michigan Law - also i am an in state student from Michigan. Other schools include Notre Dame (Which i am Legacy) and my parents/gparents want me to apply to Harvard (i know, 0 chance, but i am legacy as well), Gerogetown, Geroge Washington, Vandy, and but mostly T15.

EDIT: My firm conducts M&A work and i am consultant for various clients including contact with Fortune 1000, 500 and 50 companies on a weekly basis so my job is not something most people do one year out of undergrad (i plan on highlighting this all in my essay's without sounding like a prick), especially not having a Business degree or MBA. So far my biggest deal has been $100M. I have letters of rec from a former Law Prof (ran a clinic as well and was former dean of LS) at a target of mine and other past clients who are influential in that regard, but that's all i'm going into.

thoughts?

163/3.45 = almost no chance, assuming you're not black hispanic or native american. Retake.

unfortunately i'm as WASPY as it gets. Think getting into the 167 range would give me a shot? I'm also applying Binding Early Decision Summer Start if that makes a difference.

Don't leave an investment banking job to go to any school that you would get into with a 3.4/163 (or really anything less than a 172ish)

i have a soft offer to retain the position following LS if i go, but frankly i won't go unless it's a top 15 and it's a hard offer too. That's why i plan on retaking in June and have the application in on Day 1 (if that matters at all).

0 chance at M

Retake and get a 172+ to have a shot at M.

I know the numbers make up a major part of the decision, but does my 2 years off, plus job experience, plus varsity Athlete status, etc etc, make a positive contribution or is it just not enough right now and i still need the 170+ LSAT? I know this is all pure conjecture so i take most with a grain of salt and my end goal is to improve my LSAT regardless.

UMich11 wrote:I know the numbers make up a major part of the decision, but does my 2 years off, plus job experience, plus varsity Athlete status, etc etc, make a positive contribution or is it just not enough right now and i still need the 170+ LSAT? I know this is all pure conjecture so i take most with a grain of salt and my end goal is to improve my LSAT regardless.

I had better softs than you and did not get into a single law school where I was below both (UGPA and LSAT) medians.

There is the random anecdote, but basically schools care about numbers first and softs only for tie-breakers. In that sense, they are really helpful.

UMich11 wrote:I know the numbers make up a major part of the decision, but does my 2 years off, plus job experience, plus varsity Athlete status, etc etc, make a positive contribution or is it just not enough right now and i still need the 170+ LSAT? I know this is all pure conjecture so i take most with a grain of salt and my end goal is to improve my LSAT regardless.

Doesn't matter. 170 if you want to have a chance of hitting the T14. 169 might get you Vandy, 168 for GW.

Need a 170. Your current stats give you a shot at ND.

Pretty much what i figured. I have heard of anomalies - 2 friends getting in with 165/3.5s last far and one just recently got in with a 161/3.7 this year: all are UMICH undergrads who went back to back - but who knows what else they had - all white, upper middle class too.

UMich11 wrote:I know the numbers make up a major part of the decision, but does my 2 years off, plus job experience, plus varsity Athlete status, etc etc, make a positive contribution or is it just not enough right now and i still need the 170+ LSAT? I know this is all pure conjecture so i take most with a grain of salt and my end goal is to improve my LSAT regardless.

I have very similar softs (collegiate state and national championships, 4 years semi-prestigious WE, etc.) and have pretty much performed exactly how my numbers say I should. They will not help.

UMich11 wrote:Pretty much what i figured. I have heard of anomalies - 2 friends getting in with 165/3.5s last far and one just recently got in with a 161/3.7 this year: all are UMICH undergrads who went back to back - but who knows what else they had - all white, upper middle class too.

Really?! Those numbers are very surprising. Did their parents donate a crap ton of money or something?